Chapter Text
Doorbells continued to ring in his ears from all the deliveries he did today. MK now driving back to the store as the supposed last order was placed for the day. Hopefully, the only thing he has to worry about would be in-store customers. Just one more hour...
"Where have you been?! I have needed you for twenty minutes!!" The familiar growl of his boss yelled.
"I was driving Pigsy, I'm here now!" MK plastered a smile to sell it. Quickly grabbing the notepad to go around the lobby, jotting orders. He was happy to see his best friend was still here. Then again, Mei was just playing games on her phone upside down on the dining table. So she didn't even notice MK was back.
"I'll take the special, please." One lady asked, MK nodded. About three more times he jotted orders, then gave them to Pigsy. Only after, did Mei finally notice MK, and happily waved at her friend. MK beamed, walking over to Mei.
"Playing Monkey Mech?" MK asked, leaning over Mei's shoulder.
"Uh duhhhh" Mei laughed in response. Showing her screen to MK. "Trying the new missions in multiplayer mode. Since you had to work, Redson joined me in the game. He is terrible at it!" She laughed, pointing at his character in joking embarrassment. MK laughed, though he had no idea that Redson played Monkey Mech now, or that he played with Mei. How come he never got invited..? I mean, sure they want time alone. Maybe? Why was he so upset hearing this, sure he has feelings for Redson that have gone on for three months. But that shouldn't mean anything against their friendship together.
Yeah, his thought dropped when the bell rang. Meaning someone walked into the store.
"Welcome to Pigsys noodles! What can I get you?" MK asked, rushing to the customer and setting the man at a near table. Yet he shuttered a bit, it was a man with blonde hair, white dyed tips at the end, and always wearing the same casual suit. This customer had been coming for a while now, and he was... interesting.
"It's my favorite employee! How are you cutie?" The customer had asked, leaning on the table. Yup... gross. He always flirted with MK, no matter how often he showed he wasn't interested.
"Sir, what do you want to order?" MK asked to derail the conversation.
"I told you Jusang is just fine," Jusang mumbled with a tweaked smile. "This again please." He pointed at a specific part of the menu.
MK just nodded, writing down for Pigsy again. Mei quickly sneaked up on MK as he was walking. "Yoo, that guy seems really into you." She giggled, nudging him a bit. MK felt sick in thinking of Jusang in any way but as a creepy customer.
"I doubt it." Mk rolled his eyes, followed by a chuckle to keep his happy attitude.
"You should try shooting your shot! Wouldn't hurt, he isn't the ugliest of guys." That part made MK genuinely laugh. He wanted to explain to Mei why, but something about him made him not want to tell Mei about his feelings for Redson, or that the customer was basically harassing him so...
"I'll think about it." MK chuckled, pushing Mei's forehead in a playful manner.
Then Pigsy was suddenly leaning on the counter, "Hey kid, your shift is over if you wanna head out." He smiled rather stressfully before making his way elsewhere. Which made MK turn back to Mei.
"Any chance you wanna have a sleepover? Maybe play some Monkey Mech?" MK asked in anticipation. But frowned to see Meis shake in refusal.
"Sorry boy, I got a fam thing out of town. Something about some demon they got beef with lol. Next time for sure aight?" Mei smiled with MKs sad nod.
"For sure, I'll see you tomorrow." MK waved as Mei rushed out the door, all he heard was Mei whistling her motorcycle. MK sighed heavily, about to follow her out to go up to his apartment. Until... a hand stopped his place.
"You know, I don't have anything due today. I wouldn't mind accompanying you." Jusang chuckled, thankfully his gentle grip was enough for MK to move away from.
"Enjoy your food." That was all MK said before he rushed out the door. He felt sick to his stomach after that encounter. His legs shook a bit, and being up all day from his job was not helping... he needed to head up home, now.
Just a harsh crash was heard when he got to his apartment. He couldn't even relax, thinking about how fast tomorrow will come anyway. He will have to do the whole thing.. over again. Every morning, getting more tired. Mei will probably be too busy again. Jusang will be there again like always... MK didn't even take off his shoes, he just crawled under blankets in a desperate attempt to escape his reality. He had so much packed into his small schedule and the last thing he wanted to do was clones after the club incident. He was suffering all alone too, he couldn't talk to Mei even if he wanted to, and it either was fear of burdening his friends, or it was about the said friends. Pigsy was always busy, he couldn't put more on that poor cook's stress. Monkey King was off the table, if he shows how weak he is to his mentor... he couldn't even think about it. Maybe Redson..? No. Why is he even trying to think about getting help? He can do this by himself, so no one has to get involved. Then no one gets hurt. No one...
no...
Shit.
Not again-
Just as he had feared, the white lines scrambled his vision. This had been happening for a month. When he'd get too upset, too sad, too scared, his brain would play dirty tricks on him as punishment. They racked his mind to make the situation worse than it was.
The bottle.
Where is the bottle?!
Those little orange pills were usually his damn savior. After three drops, the lines disappear. But the bottle was nowhere to be seen. He couldn't possibly do this, he NEEDED these lines gone, these thoughts gone. He... He-
He almost couldn't even hear the knock on his window...
Just turning to see who accompanied him alone, made his mind clear up like nothing.
"Redson? It's almost midnight, what's going on?" MK had asked, sliding the window open enough for the demon to let himself in. Maybe he could talk to Redson after all...
"The dragon girl wasn't home, I needed to get away from family stuff," Redson muttered. Right... Redson wouldn't just arrive here if Mei was available. Sure, after the Lady Bone Demon all those months ago, they bonded with the fight and the fire. But at this point, he felt, excluded and unnecessary. Especially after finding out they play games without him. So of course MK would be Redson's plan B.
No, shut the fuck up MK. How dare you put Red in such a bad light, even when you claim to...
"Do you want to talk about it-?" MK asked, closing the window to stop the cold air from entering. He shoved the clothes mounted on his couch and lifted his hand as an invitation to sit with him. Which Redson took, holding his own arms together. The look Red gave off told MK three possibilities.
Their parents had a misunderstanding, he stayed up all night and still messed up on an invention, or another case of his parents being skeptical of his friendship with MK and Mei.
"My parents just had a situation today. They were so irritated with this demon spirit and they accidentally took it out on me."
Boom, MK called it. He had gotten really good at figuring Redson out. This wasn't the first time he helped him after all.
"Ah, that makes sense. I'm really sorry." MK stated, gently placing his hand on Redson's back. He knew he had to be careful when comforting Red. He wasn't the best when it came to physical affection. Until he didn't even notice Redson had fallen onto MKs lap, clutching to his shirt as he heard sobs... It must have been a really bad misunderstanding, Red never gets this upset...
"The things they said... were worse than before... what if- they were true?" Red's hot tears were piercing through MKs shirt, just like his nails. The tip of Red's hair was adding the heat, which didn't mix with MKs already climbing breakdown. With his established crush so close to him, admitting heat as he broke down in front of him, his desperate want for his pills. He wasn't thinking when he suddenly swooped Redson a bit to fully hold him better. Cradled in his arms to bring pressure for him to focus. That's what Mei would do when MK would break down in front of her, which only happened twice. It was like a weighted blanket. He was holding his arms around Redson, not surprised that Red didn't return the embrace. Instead just continued to lie against him.
"It's going to be okay. You and your parents are getting better, this is nothing but a bump in the road. But if you want, you could stay here until you feel better." MK stated, though he was already going past his limit. But he couldn't just abandon Redson in his time of need. Even though... the lines were back. Racking his mind with harsh thoughts.
Overstimulation.
It had happened before, multiple times. Too much going on at once. Too much sensory.
And now tears were pricking at his eyes painfully.
He could not, he could NOT cry in front of Redson. No matter how much the tears burned against his power to hold it. He was basically holding his breath as he continued to hold Redson.
Then a painful kick in his brain made MK breathe, but it came out as the ugly sob he was trying to hide... which Redson shifted to when hearing it.
Shit. No nonono no no no no.
"Noodle bo-" Redson lifted his head slightly to look him in the eyes. No, he was about to see him crying. Out of complete fear, MK put his hand on Redson's head. Gently but quickly placing his head back to MKs chest, and now scratching his head, brushing Red's hair with his fingers. It was a bold move, but he had to distract Red... thankfully working in his favor.
It gave MK enough time to pull himself together, quickly swatting the tears from his face as if they never existed. His quest to hide his sadness distracted even himself from the new burning pain in his hand.
Right... Red's fire hair.
Moments passed when Redson finally pulled together, separating himself from MK, now looking at the floor.
"I apologize for my behavior, perhaps I had overreacted," Redson muttered.
"Don't worry man, you can always come to me for help. It's alright to feel sad." Yes, he saw that irony in his hypocrisy. But he didn't know what else to say. He wanted Redson to feel better, even at the expense of his own happiness.
"I should probably get out of your space. I may have caused enough trouble for the day." Redson chuckled, making MKs heart jump... but in a painful way. He didn't want Redson to leave, he wouldn't mind having company. He'd actually feel safer...
But after both of their phones started blasting, obviously, Mei finally understood what happened.
MK just laughed, "You should probably go see her before she kills you." He said, elbowing Redson in a joking man. A small part of him hoped that Redson would refuse, and stay with him for the night.
"You are probably right, she's probably worried," Redson muttered, walking to the window. Definitely wishful thinking...
"I'll- see you later?" MK asked, trying to hide the pain in his throat. Redson just left a nod in response, seeming eager to escape the apartment. And In a quick flame, he did. Leaving his space once again, empty.
MK waited, thirty seconds just in case.
When the coast was clear, his golden eyes burst through his vision. Searching before he spotted a cylinder shape on the ground behind the dresser. In almost lightning speed, he gripped the dresser and crashed it to the ground, shattering almost every single thing he owned. Just to snatch the pills and open the bottle as his life depended on it. He didn't bother cleaning the mess, he just popped five of the pills almost choking. Breathing heavily, he ruffled back to his bed. Completely tired and hurt... His hand stinging, his throat burning, his head pounding. Yet he fell asleep, white mist circling his room and into MK's head.
Where yet again MK had another dream of a happy life. Now starring the demon that entered his room tonight, wishing he could love him one day.
How selfish of him...